Crossover: HL/SG-1 (roughly series 6 SG-1!verse, end series 3 HL!verse)

Characters: Daniel, O’Neill, Methos

For prompt: 046 Star

Summary: Daniel and Methos share a moment under the stars NOT SLASH!

A/N: Second in yet another series of ficlets – and yet again I have no firm plans…

“This is a new look for you. I never saw you as the military sort.”

Daniel turned, a grin already plastered to his face as he recognised the buzz of his old teacher. Laughing he swept the wiry man into an embrace, patting him on the back as he let go.

“It’s good to see you! I didn’t think you’d be here till morning.”

“Well, what can I say, once the US military decide your needed it barely matters whether you’re a citizen or not.”

Daniel shook his head. “I’m sorry. These guys aren’t exactly known for subtlety.”

Methos glanced round him, noting the absurd amount of heavily armed guards for the middle of the night in the middle of the desert.

“Yes I can see. What’s so important in a grave over four thousand years old that it needs this kind of protection?”

Daniel shook his head. “I’ll have to check your clearance first…”

“Danny!”

Daniel turned away. “Sorry Adam, but this isn’t just about us.”

Methos looked sceptical, but acquiesced, changing the subject. “You don’t keep your sword on you any more.”

Daniel laughed. “Have you tried getting so much as a toothpick passed these people?”

Methos turned stern. “You don’t even practise anymore. I can see it in your stance. If I had my Ivanhoe with me I’d give you a lesson you wouldn’t forget in a hurry.”

“I know, I know! You’d probably take my head just to teach me a lesson.” Daniel grinned warmly at his teacher. “I’ve so rarely been in a position where I’m even likely to meet another Immortal the last few years that I guess I’ve got complacent…”

Methos shook his head fondly. “You never were interested in learning how to keep your head. That’s why I find it so hard to believe you’re here, surrounded by the most gung-ho army to come about in best part of a thousand years.”

“Actually they’re airforce.”

Methos quirked an eyebrow at the obvious deflection, but Daniel ignored it turning back to gaze at the night sky as he had been doing before his old friend had arrived.

“I have a friend who can map how the stars looked a thousand years ago, lay them out with mathematical certainty…I don’t have the heart to tell her that I’ve seen those constellations, that she’s missed the point entirely plotting dots on her computer.”

Methos stepped closer, until they were shoulder to shoulder, looking up at the sky. “I’ve shared the night sky with so many over the millennia and every time it’s looked at little different, but it’s still the same sky. There are so few things in the world as permanent as we are, the sky changes same as we do, but it is still the same sky.”

For a moment they stood in thought…and then the moment was gone.

“Are you ready?”

Methos took a deep breath. “As ready as I’ll ever be. Remind me in the morning to tell you again why I’ve always been against this grave-robbing business. Someday it might be one of your wives someone finds.”

“In the morning. Let’s go.”

Daniel pulled a torch out of his belt, clicking it on to light their way as they moved off the steep dune towards the dig and its guards.

Jack hadn’t been able to pick out everything that was said, but that didn’t matter; he’d get to the bottom of whatever these two were playing at at the dig site. One way or another…